The article was initially published by Katy Smith in Columbus Business First.

Cheryl Lutz

Director of supply chain operations, Dismas Distribution Services

How did you get into this field? I found myself in this industry by chance more than 15 years ago and have since fallen in love with the fast pace and innovation. Central Ohio is one of the nation’s largest retail distribution and logistics hubs, so we are fortunate to be surrounded by great inspiration, growth, and change in this field.

President-elect Donald Trump said he wants major infrastructure improvements in the U.S. What projects do you think should be a priority? Central Ohio has done a great job of building future-focused infrastructure – I’d like to see President-elect Donald Trump focus on doing the same for the rest of the country.

Columbus’ Smart City Challenge is charged with developing future transportation options. What modes do you think should be included? There’s a shortage of drivers in the transportation and trucking industry. As innovation and technology continue to drive our society, we need to focus on the development of alternative ways to transport goods.

What road improvements does Central Ohio need most? I would like to see additional expressway trenches around Central Ohio to relieve traffic across the city. The trench on Route 23 in Worthington has done wonders for alleviating congestion in that part of town.

Describe your typical day at work? There’s no such thing as typical in this job, but that’s what I love about it. On any given day, I am setting up transportation, planning new projects, designing workstations and monitoring workflow to make sure we’re meeting deadlines. And you can always find me in the warehouse with our employees at some point during the day. They are the heart and soul of our company.